Beyond

It's not just that the return of bassist Lou Barlow has us feeling nostalgic -- many of the proto-grunge throwbacks on Beyond could've come straight from the band's flannel-draped salad days. "Almost Ready" and "This Is All I Came To Do" are more akin to their '90s fuzz anthems than songwriter J Mascis' recent solo work and, aside from the gingerly experimental "It's Me" and the acoustic (?!) "I Got Lost," the reminiscence feels good, if at times too cautious. Even so, Mascis' vicious guitar offers loads of highlights, and he goes for the throat on "What If I Knew."